


Rules of Conduct

by Goodbyemyfancy



Category: Jumper (2008)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-05
Updated: 2014-02-05
Packaged: 2018-01-11 06:50:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1169973
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Goodbyemyfancy/pseuds/Goodbyemyfancy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A bit of angst when the jumpers first move in together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rules of Conduct

**Author's Note:**

> These are all the Jumper rules I have been able to find based on "Griffin's Story," the film, film commentaries and interviews and the like. I started the list for my own research, and then it became a story.

RULES OF CONDUCT  
1\. Never jump where you can seen  
2\. Never jump near home  
3\. Never jump to or from the same place twice  
4\. Never jump unless it is necessary  
5\. Never let a weapon be pointed at you  
6\. Never leave behind jump rot  
7\. Never hesitate  
8\. Never rely on only 1 back up location  
9\. Never settle down in one place for too long  
10\. Never arrive where you left  
11\. Never jump in or out of populated areas  
12\. Never believe you are safe  
13\. NEVER TRUST ANYONE

When they had first decided, cautiously and tentatively, to live together, the very first thing Griffin put up was his well-worn and crumpled list of jumper rules on the chrome fridge. David wandered over from where he was unpacking boxes and stood there silently, his hands clasped behind his back as he leaned forward to read the messy handwriting. He laughed to himself about the title – obviously Griffin was smart enough not to call the list his jumper rules and needed a more common title in case anyone found them. Then again, the rules alone were a dead giveaway that jumpers were present.

As he stood there reading, David could feel Griffin’s eyes burning holes into the back of his head. He tried to concentrate, furling his brow as he reviewed each rule. The first four were carefully and neatly printed in child-like block letters, while the rest had apparently been added on at different times. The last one was the only rule to have been written in capital letters, and by the slight tearing of the fragile paper and the repeatedly dug in pen marks, was the rule that had the most importance to Griffin.

Eventually he had to speak up. Trying to use a mild tone, David turned to look at where Griffin was standing with his arms crossed and said, “You know, I don’t think all of these are proper rules.” Griffin sneered immediately, his lips twisting as he defensively replied, “Well excuse me, but I think after being a jumper on my own since I was nine gives me a pretty good handle on what on how to stay alive.” David retorted right away, feeling stung, “Well, I’ve been on my own since I was young too, and I had no parents to train me when I was a child about how to be a jumper, let along give me rules to follow. And I’m still alive.”

Griffin’s laughter was stained with bitterness. “I’m astounded you’re still alive at all, you gigantic idiot. All the stupid things you’ve done as a jumper, especially before you met me, hell, you should be dead by now. All you’ve got is a lucky golden horseshoe jammed up your ass.”

It was becoming all too clear to David that Griffin was getting more hostile and agitated by the moment. Looking back over the last few minutes, he realized that by initially challenging Griffin’s rules, he was indirectly critiquing how Griffin had managed to function by himself all these years. And in a sense, he had also been uncaring about Griffin’s parents and how they had raised him to be a jumper. Part of David knew that his response came from his own sense of abandonment by his mother, and his abuse at the hands of his father.

Apologies all over his face, David softly said back to the his now sullen friend, “Sorry Griffin. I wasn’t attacking your rules or judging them. I just thought that one of them wasn’t really a firm rule. He pointed to the very last item on the list. “NEVER TRUST ANYONE. And yet here we are, living together. Don’t you trust me?” David could hear the hurt in his voice and tried to pretend it wasn’t there. Griffin’s face changed, softened, and he was gentle in tone when he answered, “Of course I do, David.”

Reaching past David, Griffin amended the last rule to include, EXCEPT DAVID.

**Author's Note:**

> Griffin and David belong to Steven Gould and 20th Century Fox. I just play with them and return them only slightly bruised.


End file.
